Concord Falls in Overtime to Wheeling

ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University women's basketball team lost to Wheeling, 75-67, in overtime in a Mountain East Conference contest held at the Carter Center Saturday afternoon.
 
The Mountain Lions (8-8, 5-4 MEC) trailed by three, 49-46, to start the fourth quarter, but an 11-2 scoring run launched CU back into the lead.
 
Junior forward Abbie Smith netted a layup 20 seconds into the frame followed by a three-point basket by junior guard Kennedy Scales to jump ahead 51-49 at the 8:58 mark. Smith and Scales traded buckets once more to cap off the run and hold a six-point edge with 6:53 remaining.
 
Wheeling (8-8, 5-4 MEC) answered with a run of its own to tie the score at 59-59, and both teams traded baskets before the final buzzer to send the game into overtime, 63-63. Senior guard Skylar Davidson connected on the game-tying layup with 11 seconds on the clock in regulation to force an extra five minutes of action.
 
The Cardinals scored seven of the first nine points in overtime to hold on for the win.
 
The game began with both team feeling each other out before a three-point basket from sophomore guard Madison Young ignited a Concord scoring spurt to grab a nine-point lead. Davidson and senior guard Faith Diggs added baskets in the quarter, but graduate forward Trina Lewis had the final say, giving the Mountain Lions a 15-9 lead after the first.
 
WU got as close as two midway through the second period, but CU was able to extend its margin to 10, 28-18, with 2:18 left until halftime on a layup from Diggs. A bucket from junior forward Imani Hickman with under 30 seconds to play gave the Maroon and Gray a 32-20 advantage at the break.
 
The Cardinals quickly caught up to begin the third quarter and held the three-point lead into the fourth.
 
Smith led Concord with 23 points and had 10 rebounds for her 11^th double-double this season. Davidson also scored in double figures with 13 points to go along with five steals. Hickman had a game-best 14 rebounds, as well as five steals. The Mountain Lions forced Wheeling into 22 turnovers and came away with 15 steals.
 
CU hosts Charleston Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.